Stratiner and packer setting device



c.' BROWN 2.163,933 STRAINER AND PACKER SETTING DEVIVGE Filed nec. 19, 195s :s shuts-sheet 1 June 27, 1939( @67M i TToRNEx/s.

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" 51m/ENT June 27, 1939. c. c. BRawN` STRAINER VAND PACKER SETTING DEVICE Filed Dec. 19, 193e s sheets-sheet s 7 a f y iwf 20 equipment' above the Patented VJune 27, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,163,933 sTItAlNEn AND PACKEB.- sE'r'rnvG DEVICE Cicero C. Brown, Houston, Tex."` l Applicauonnecembep 19, 193s,seriaiNo. nauwl 10 Claims.

My invention relates to a means for setting a Vstrainer and 'packing devices therewith inV the well when the well is being ilnished.

In equipping. the lower end of the well after 6 Y e producing strata have been encountered itis sometimes neceary to set a plurality of packers at diierent levels above the strainer or strainers and to equip the apparatus so that the setting of the packers lnr packers are thus tobe set it vbecomes diillcult to introduce the assembly into position in the well without accidentally collapsing the packer or packers at some point when thisis undesirable.

It is to be understood that most of the packers are 15. held against being collapsed. by frangible means lsuch as shear pins which may be broken by contact with material in the well and allow the packer to collapse when a strain is exerted thereon. Sometimes the weight. of the liner and 'other packer wilLshear the pinat the wrong position difficulty.

It is an object of my invention to be able to as secure the setting string to the packer assemblyv in such manner that it is impossible to set the packers while the device is being inserted into position.

It is also an object of the invention to. be able. perform suchoperations as washing the well,- closing the `baci: pressure valve and settingv the 1 packers in the proper sequence.

It is another object to provide a means for attachment of the setting stringto the assembly 35. which may be easily manipulated to perform the necessary operations above enumerated and to then withdraw the setting string from th'e setting position. l

It is another object of the invention to provide` f `4,0 a means for attachment ofthe setting stringi-,o the assembly, which may be easily manipulated k to perform the necessary operations above enum-` .the' setting string erated and to, then withdraw from the setting position.

The invention lies in the ment of the parts making up my novel construc-- tion and will be understood from'the description 1 which follows:

1n me drawing, ms. 1 is a centr-1 longitudinali y 5o section through the lower end ofthe well bore showing the lower end of the packer and strainer i assembly with parts broken' away 4for clearness. Fig.' 2 is a similar section Vshowing 'the upper end of the assembly, it being understood that the 1a" two views tosetler illustrate the complete device.

can be controlled.. Where -several of the assembly in the well and thus cause a material amount'of damage and particular arrange- (Cl. 16B-'20) upper` and lower portions respectively with the 5,

Packers in set Vition. l

In the drawings I have shown a strainer and packer assembly which employs two packers together with the strainer. It may be understood that three or more packers may be employed in 10 the same manner, the operation of which will be clear from the apparatus here disclosed.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the apparatus is shown as assembled'in the manner in which it is to be inserted into the well. 'stratum l of the well is shown a strainer 2 oi ordinary construction having at its lower end a, valve housing 3 and a guide shoe 4. Above the strainer is a section of liner ll which may be of any desired length. The upper end of the lower 20 section of liner Il is formed into a packer barrel 5. The type of packer here disclosed is the usual type of canvas packer in which the packer barrel E furnishes a support at its lower end for the lower portion of the canvas packer 6, the attachment being made through windings of wire l. At the upper end of thepacker barrel the outer surface is formed with downwardly inclined ratchet teeth. The upper end of the canvas packer-is secured -by windings of wire 1 to a 30 ratchet sleeve 8. 'I'he construction of this sleeve is best seen in Fig. 3 the upper end of the ratchet sleeve having spring arms thereon with ratchet teeth formed on the inner face to engage slidably with the ratchet area ofthe packer barrel. It 35 will be seen that when the ratchet sleeve ismoved f downwardly along the packer barrel it will automatically latchitself againstmovement in the reverse direction. Y 4 V The construction of the packers shown at I, o 8 and and 5', B'and 9' in Figs. 1, 2, 5 and 6 is identical with that shown 'in Figs. 3 and 4 wherein the detailsmay be more clearly seen.

The outer face of the ratchet sleeve is connected to the setting barrel 9, the upper end ofrwhich A5 has a connection by means of a threaded coupling' ltoasectionoflinerll.v Y

The liner Ihmay be -oi'l the desired length to space the next adjacent upper packer at. the proper point vin the well to pack oil.' against uids 50 entering the well, and it may be understood that this liner may be several hundred feet in length. 'The Vupper end of' this liner is connected by 'a swaged nipple-I2 to the lower en`d of a second i )acker barrel Il. This -pa'cker barrel and the 55 Adjacent the producing lil packer 6' is similar in all respects to the packer previouslyvdescribed. The upper end of the setting barrel 9' is connected to the lower end of a thrust sleeve Il. On the interior of the thrust sleeve is a shoulder I5 against which the setting dogs may engage to exert a downward thrust thereon. 'I'he upper end of the thrust sleeve is ared at I8 so as to allow the ready insertion of the setting string therein.

The swaged nipple I2 which connects the upper end of the liner with the second packer has on its interior a thrust shoulder I1 also to be engaged by the setting dogs o! the inner string.

The setting string may ordinarily be made of a heavy tubing which is extended downwardly into the packer and strainer assembly and connected at its lower end to the lower end of the strainer and within the back pressure valve housing. With reference particularly to Fig. 3, the interior of the valve housing is shown. I have a valve base Il which forms a partition within the lower. end of the housing and has a valve chamber i9 therein at the lower end of which the back pressure valve is setted. ThisV valve is held upwardly g5 into its seat by a pressure spring 2l. The upper end of the valve chamber I9 is closed by a partition except for a pair of longitudinal openings 22 therethrough. Centrally of the valve base is an axial opening to receive a pivot pin 23 formed upon the valve plate 24. 'I'his pivot pin i'lts tightly through an opening in the valve base and has at its lower end a nut which holds the plate 24 closely against thevalve base.

The valve plate 2l has a pair of longitudinal 3g openings 25 therein which may be brought into registration with the openings 22 in the valve base. The plate has an upwardly extending skirt 2S thereon on the inner face of which are formed inwardly extending lugs 21 which may be engaged by the operating sleeve at the lower end or the setting string. thereby enabling the operator to rotate the valveplate 24 to open orl close the openings 22 to the base.

Above vthe valve plate 24 is a stop ring 2l. Said 5 ring is screwed 'within the inner portion of the valve housing and has its upper end cut away on the exterior portion so as to provide an upwardly extending stop sleeve 2l spaced from the strainer. The upper end of this stop sleeve has a beveled shoulder 30 against which the supporting ring/3l upon the setting string may engage.

The setting string 32 has at its lower end a collar 33, the lower end of which is extended outwardly and has its end face formed with an annular groove therein which forms the raceway to receive anti-friction balls 3l. On the upper end of the supporting ring 3l previously mentioned is a similar raceway. Said supporting ring 3| is held in properly spaced relation below imthe collar I! by means of a nut or collar screwed upon the outer surface of the operating sleeve Si.

'l'.he operating 'sleeve is secured at its upper end within the collar I3 and is extended,downward1y 55 so as to project into the-valve chamber and within the skirt '2i thereon. :It has at its,l lowerend oppositely extending 1m31 which are adapted to engage the lugs 21 on the sleeve and thus enable the operator to rotate said sleeve.

7o *'Itwillbeseenthstthelowerendoithesetinerme mane upon the upper ena of me member 2lpand`forming s seal therewith. The

friction with the sleeve 2l and the setting string may be rotated thereon through the anti-friction bearings between the collar 33 and the supporting ring. A downward thrust can be exerted by the setting string against the valve housing in 5 this manner.

To lock the setting string in the assembly so that it may not be moved upwardly relative thereto I obtain a grip between the setting string and the packer and strain'r assembly adjacent 10 the upper end oi.' said assembly. With reference particularly to Fig. 2, it will be seen that I pro-l vide a type of spear to engage the inner portion yof the assembly adjacent the upper packer and it will be understood that if more than two pack- 15 ers are employed this spear will be adjacent the upper one of the series.

The construction of this spear can be best seen in Fig. 4. -It includes a mandrel 38 which, at its lower end is screwed within a wedge collar 39. 20 This engagement is preferably a lefthand threaded engagement so that the mandrel may be screwed upwardly within the wedge collar by a righthand rotation.

The wedge collar has an outer surface which is 25 tapered upwardly to cooperate with the pipe gripping dogs Il. Below the point of attachment of the wedge collar with the mandrel the inner diameter of the collar is increased to provide a shoulder at ll. The lower end of the colso lar is swedged inwardly and connected at 42 with the liner string.

The lower end of the mandrel is internally threaded and connected with a stop nut 4I which extends outwardly below the mandrel and may engage the underside of the shoulder Il upon the wedge collar. It will be seen that this stop nut limits the upward movement of the mandrel relative to the wedge collar.

The upper end of the mandrel is connected with 40 the liner above by means of a collar Il, the walls 'of which are formed somewhat thicker than usual so that the lower portion thereof lwill form a shoulder above the upper ring 45 carrying the pipe gripping dogs 4l. The outer surface of the 45 mandrel below the threaded connection with the collar M is formed with an annular recess on the lower side .of which is an upwardly inclined shoulder ll upon which the upper ring Il of the pipe gripping dogs may engage and be supported. 50

The pipe gripping dogs are oi' ordinary construction. There are a plurality of downwardly extending arms on the collar 45, the lower ends of which are toothed with upwardly inclined teeth 41 thereon to engage the inner portion of the 56 liner. At the lower ends of the dogs the inner surface is beveled outwardly to conform to the upper end oi the wedge sleeve so that the rela tive downward movement of the dogs will cause them to engage the wedge sleeve andjbe forced o0 outwardly against the pipe.

At a convenient point below the packer assembly I provide upon the setting string a set of packer setting dogs 4l. These dogs are not o! novel construction. Each dog has a lower shoulder Il lwhich extends outwardly from its engagement with the section of liner upon which it is moimted and is adapted to engage with the shoulders above the packers so asfto set the packers when'this operation is desired. The dogs I0 are provided lowerlugs Il and upper lugs Il, both of which engage beneath shoulders on the liner section to limit the outward movement of the dogs. The lower end of each dog is provided wlth arecess to receive a compression spring 'l5 upwardlyto the surface, washing the lower end When this has been completed I the packer assembly. `setting string in a righthand direction and screw A91,193,933 sz whicntenas to force the lowerends fr the dogs outwardly. Y

In the operation of'my device the assembly is connected up, as shown packers collapsed and the lower ting string resting upon the upper end of the back pressure valve housing, as shown in Fig. 3. 'Ihe spear is expanded, as shown particularly in Fig. 2, to engage the inner portion of the packer end "of the setassembly and prevent relative upward movement of the setting string in the said assembly. It will be therefore seen that the packer and strainer .assembly is held against downward movement of the setting string relative thereto at the lower end vand against relative upward movement by the engagement of the assembly. It will thus be possible to exert a downward thrust upon the strainer and packers to -I nove them into the bottom of the hole. It will be noted that the well is shown as equipped with a casing which extends downwardly to a point adjacent the. producing formation. Below this the assembly projects into the open hole. I

desire to set the lower packer 6 to cut on' from the producing formation the stratum 54. When the well is to be brought in the ilushingfluid is pumped downwardly through the setting string and through the lower end of the same by way of the back pressure valve. .The uid will then ,ascend outside of the strainer and the packers of the well. close the backpresure valve.

VVIn order to be able to rotate the setting string to perform this operation I release the spear from To `do this I rotate the the mandrel 38 upwardly from its position shown iluid in either direction.

' wash the interior of in Fig. 2 within the the pipe gripping 'dogs I0 upwardlyaway from the tapered surface into the position shown in Fig. 4 with the dogs in released position. Y

Valve 25is closed by rotating the setting 'string upon the bearing formed by the balls 3i to move bring the openings 25 out the valve plate 24 and of registration with seal the lower end of the openings 22.' This will the well against the flow of I then raise the setting string somewhat and the strainer and then set the packers. It is obvious, however, that the 'packers may be set before the inner portion of the strainer assembly is washed, when desired.

In order to set the packers Iraise the setting string untilthe Yshoulder Ilg. I then lower the setting string toexert pressure upon the shoulder I1. and nove the section of liner and the setting barrel! down-Y wardly to collapse 'the packer t.' This shearing the shear the p in Il and collapse the packer i'. f

.The advantage' of uns message in the ability of the operator while he issuing into Vthe welland manipulating thedevice into proper positionto pre t my downward Vforce to be applied to before it isn c Ato set them. 'the cogagelnentot at apoint in Figs. 1 and 2, with the.

packer separately'so that spear with the interior of the Y wedge collar. This raisesA vsaid strainer; including a string assembly while said adjacent the upper end of the assembly holds the intermediate portion of the assembly against movement in either direction for the lower end of the setting stngshas a strong supporting engagement with the upper end of the valve housing 3 and the upper end of the assembly is held by the spear, the intermediate portion of the assembly being held spaced properly by this engagement. It is thus impossible to set the packers or to accidentally loosen theshear pins before it is desired tov perform the setting operation. Fur-' thermore, when the packers are set it is possible to exert a thrust upon the setting barrel in each it may be assured that each packer is properly collapsed into sealing position. In other devices where a plurality of packers are to be employed the setting operation is perfumed by a thrust against the upper one of the packers. This operation is unreliable, however, because if the upper packer Vis set rst it then becomes impossible' to set any of the packers below. My device is, therefore, reliable in its operation and maken it possible to properly equip the lower end of the well without danger of error.

What is claimed-as new is:

l. In combination, a strainer and packer-assembly` including a strainer, a valve housing thereon, a liner above said strainer and a plurality of packers spacedapart on lsaid liner above said I strainer; `and means to set said assembly including a string-'of tubing, means thereon adjacent the lower end thereof to seat rotatably Within said valve housing, and means on sail? string adjacent the upper end of said assembly to engage said setting string with said assembly to prevent relative upward movement of said stringin 'said assembly.

2. In combination, a strainer and-packer as sembly including a strainer, a valve housing thereon, a liner above said strainer and a plurality of packers spaced apart on said liner above and means to set of tubing, means on said string adjacent the lower end thereof to s'eat rotatably within said valve housing, and a spear -on said setting string adjacent the upper end of said to engage' said assembly and prevent relative downward movement of said assembly,

Y ment of said string in said assembly.

4.5 A packer and strainer assembly including a plurality ofspaced packers above said strainer, `in combination with a setting string, a rotatable support for said string at the lower end of said rainer, and'means on said string positioned to engage said Y assembly adjacent the upper end thereofY and s llDDOrt the -weight of said assembly is being introduced into the well. Y Y

plurality of spaced packers above saidstrainer, in combination with a setting string, a rotatable support for said string at the lower end of said strainer, and means on said string positioned to said assembly '70 5. A strainer assembly including a end of said engaging position,

packers to engage said liner and hold the packers spaced from the lower end of said string and to prevent collapsing of said packers between said spear and said liner engaging means.

'1. A liner, a plurality of packers spaced apart upon said liner, frangible means to resist longitudinal collapsing of said packers, a setting string adapted to extend downwardly through said liner, means on said string to engage with and exert a downward thrust' on said liner adjacent the lower end thereof, and a spear on said stringadjacent the uppermost of said packers to engage said uppermost packer to hold the upper liner spaced from the lower end thereof and to prevent collapsing of said packers, said spear being releasable from packerand means on said string to engage separately above each of said packers and collapse the same.

downward thrust on engage said assembly adjacent the upper end.

thereof and sustain the weight of said assembly. 9. A well assembly including a strainer, a, liner and a plurality of superposed packers above saidstrainer; in combination with a setting string, means on said string to engage and exert a the lower end of said assembly, and supporting means on said'string to engage said assembly adjacent the upper end thereof and sustain the weight of said assembly, said supporting means being releasable, and means on said string to separately engage said packers to collapse'the same successively in upward sequence.

10. A packer and strainer assembly including a liner, a plurality of spaced packers thereon, a strainer' on said liner and a back pressure' valve housingion said strainer, a rotatable valve in said housing, in combination with a setting string, a thrust support for said string adjacent the upper end of said housing, meansgon said string to engage and move said rotatable valve, a spear on said string to engage and support said assembly, said spear being releasable by'rotation, and means to engage and expand said packers.

CICERO C. BROWN.

a strainer, a liner 

